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Current Trends in Liberal Education
Paul Hanstedt
Professor of EnglishRoanoke College
@curriculargeek
Perhaps the most important thing to remember:
“A program for reforming general education should be designed around each institution’s character, the strengths and interests of its faculty, and the needs of its students.”
--Jerry G. Gaff
“Avoiding the Potholes: Strategies for Reforming General Education” 1980
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Breadth Models
Integrative Models
2 Social Science2 Arts and Humanities2 Math2 Natural Science2 Foreign Language2 PE
(Possible additions: Writing 101 and 102)
Breadth Models
Integrative Models
2 Social Science2 Arts and Humanities2 Math2 Natural Science2 Foreign Language2 PE
(Possible additions: Writing 101 and 102)
Common CoreLearning Communities
Interdisciplinary CoursesIntegrative Courses
Team-taught CoursesCapstone Courses
Campus-wide themesePortfolios
Service Learning
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Sciences Social Sciences
Arts andHumanities
General Education 1.0
SciencesSocial Sciences
Arts andHumanities
General Education 2.0
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SciencesSocial Sciences
Arts andHumanities
General Education 2.0
Major Courses
Community Life Personal Goals
Jobs
Learning Com-
munities
Under-graduateResearch
Service Learning
General Education 3.0
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Learning Com-
munities
Under-graduateResearch
Service Learning
General Education 3.0
Major Courses
Social Sciences Arts andHumanities
Sciences
1st-year Exper-iences
GlobalLearning
Capstone
General Education 3.0
Major Courses
Social Sciences Arts andHumanities
Sciences
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1st-year Exper-iences
GlobalLearning
Capstone
General Education 2.0
Major Courses
Social Sciences Arts andHumanities
Liberal Education
Sciences
Breadth Models
Integrative Models
15% 18%64%
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Reasons for this shift:
1. Making meaning in a complex world
2. The exponential growth of knowledge in our fields
3. A WICKED world requires WICKED competencies
• Work
• Citizenship
Meaning-FullEducation
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Growth of Knowledge in Our Fields
English:
• Traditionally: The Cannon—Chaucer,
Dickens, etc.
• More Recently: Multiethnic/World
Literatures
• And also: Critical Theory
Growth of Knowledge in Our Fields
Psychology:
• Traditionally: Social, Clinical, Developmental,
etc.
• More Recently: Evolutionary, Neuroscience,
Socio-cultural, Positive
• And also: Industrial Organizational,
Environmental, Sports . . .
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The Changing Dynamics of the Workplace
• New challenges
• New technologies
• New markets/new clientele
• New regulations
Citizenship
Wicked Problems• FBI vs. iPhones
• Immigration
• Terrorism vs. civil liberties
• 2016 Election/Fake News/Current Events
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A brief pause . . .
• Of the four rationales, which do you think is most important to your students? • Complexity of their lives
• Exponential growth of knowledge in our fields
• Workplace changes
• Demands of Citizenship
• Questions? Thoughts?
So what does integrative liberal
education look like?
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A “Strands” Model
Nature & Technology
A Purposeful Life
Globalization
Social Sciences
Arts and Humanities
Natural Sciences
A “Strands” Model
Nature & Technology
A Purposeful Life
Globalization
Social Sciences
Arts and Humanities
Natural Sciences
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A “Strands” Model
Nature & Technology
A Purposeful Life
Globalization
Social Sciences
Arts and Humanities
Natural Sciences
A “Strands” Model
Nature & Technology
A Purposeful Life
Globalization
Social Sciences
Arts and Humanities
Natural Sciences
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A “Strands” Model
Nature & Technology
A Purposeful Life
Globalization
Social Sciences
Arts and Humanities
Natural Sciences
First-Year Seminar(s)
Capstone Course
Social Sciences
Maths and Sciences
Arts and Humanities
A Core-Distribution Model
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A Core-Only Model
Term One Term Two
The Contemporary Situation The Modern World
The Roots of Civilization I The Roots of Civilization II
Humanity in the Universe I Humanity in the Universe II
Intercultural Studies I Intercultural Studies II
Capstone I Capstone II
Wagner College
• Three learning communities (1st, 4th, and ?
years)
• Learning communities have experiential
component
• Distribution requirements overlay learning
communities
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Worcester Poly
• Initial Qualifying Project• Come from external sponsors• Interdisciplinary in nature• Students work in small groups• Often international• Counts for three courses
• Major Qualifying Project• Small groups• Within the major• Counts for three courses
A gentle reminder:
• These models are merely descriptive. Every institution should begin this conversation by asking: “What kind of graduates do we wish to produce?”
• Once they’ve answered that question, the curriculum should be designed to meet those aspirations.
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That said . . .
• Take a moment and jot some notes:
• What models as a whole do you think might work well at
Western Oregon? Why do you think so?
• What bits and pieces of various models interest you?
Why?
• How might some/parts of these models be adapted to fit
the particular mission/student population/needs of
WOU?
A Few Key Ideas:
1. GE spread throughout a college curriculum will lead to greater learning and a better chance of integrating the values of the program into life-long learning
2. Very few complex ideas/skills can bet taught in a single shot
3. GE courses should not necessarily be “basic”
4. GE courses provide an opportunity for strong pedagogy
5. Spreading the responsibility for GE amongst a greater number of instructors will lead to a stronger program
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